He's just a high school junior, and he just qualified for the 2025 US Open
The 17-year-old high school junior from Georgia punched his ticket to the 125th edition of the PGA Tour major after magnificent play in the qualifiers.
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"That was one of the greatest moments of my life," Howell said after the event.
Howell competed in the U.S. Open final qualifying at Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta and breezed through the course Monday. The day is dubbed "Golf's Longest Day," as players have to play two rounds of golf in one day, although that was hardly an issue for Howell.
He shot 18-under-par for the day to finish tied for first with Jackson Buchanan in the qualifying event, shooting a 63 in both rounds. Even more impressive was Howell didn't have a single bogey during the day. He birdied on the par-5 18th to cap off the day in front of several amateur and PGA Tour players older than him, including 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson.
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Only the top five finishers in the event in Atlanta moved onto the U.S. Open, and Howell now rides high momentum into playing at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.
Who is Mason Howell?
A 17-year-old from Thomasville, Georgia, Howell has become one of the top rising young golfers. He currently is a junior at Brookwood High School, scheduled to graduate in 2026. Even though his graduation is a year away, he's already committed to play at the University of Georgia in college.
The Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported in July 2022 Howell first picked up a golf club at age three and has played in tournaments since he was six-years-old.
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"Tournament golf has been a big part of my life," Howell said at the time. "I would encourage kids to start playing golf and get it into it because it's one of the greatest sports you can play."
Last month, he was part of the boy's golf team that won the Georgia state championship, the program's fourth title in five years. Even more impressive, Howell won the low medalist at the state championship, winning the honor in a playoff.
Howell is currently ranked eighth in the boys American Junior Golf Association rankings, but he entered Monday as the 496th ranked amateur. In his amateur career, he won the 2023 Billy Horschel Junior Championship and has 11 top-10 finishes in his young career. He also won the Future Masters Tournament in Alabama in 2023.
The 2025 U.S. Open will be Howell's first major event. It takes place June 12-15.
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Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: High school junior, Mason Howell, qualifies for 2025 US Open
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